Stalk-cutter.



T. J. LUVE.

STALK CUTTER,

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1908.

940,171. Patented N0v.16,1909.

THOMAS 3'. LOVE, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

STALK-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Application filed November 6, 1908. Serial No. 461,386.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. Lovn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Stalk-Cutter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in that class of stalk cutters illustrated in my United States Patent #755,510, granted to me March 22nd, 190a, and the object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable cutter, as well as several other features of novelty and improvements, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

As in Patent #7 55,510, above referred to, the machine is pointed at its front end, and is supported close to the ground, its front end being mounted on a runner 5, and its rear end on wheels 6. The frame of the machine comprises side beams 7, which converge toward the front end of the machine.

In my former patent referred to, the sidebeams converge in a single straight line.

In the present structure the side beams do not extend in a single straight line from one end of the machine to the other, but converge at different angles, so that the degree of convergence is more acute from a point about midway between the ends of the machine. he advantage of this arrangement is that it sets the knife-board outwardly closer to the row of corn, and the bed of the machine is also widened so that it will hold more corn and give the operator more standing room. 111 front of the wheels 6 the beams 7 support platforms 8 and 9, respectively, the former being at or about the middle of the machine, and the latter at the front end thereof. The platform 8 is located close to the ground by reducing the height of that portion of thebeams 7 on which said platform is mounted. By locating the platform 8 close to the ground, it is easy to get on or OE, and it gives a greater range for adjusting the knives, as will be presently described. Atthe front end of the platform 8 is mounted an upright and transversely extending board 10, having secured to its face a horizontal cross-strip 11. At the rear end of the platform 8 is mounted an upstanding rearwardly inclined board 12, having on its face a pair of horizontal cross strips 13, which are spaced from each other vertically.

The cutter proper comprises angularly disposed knives it, as in my former patent. Said knives are secured to a board 15, from one of the side edges of which they project. Secured to the upper and lower sides of this board, at the ends thereof, are projecting plates 16, forming guide grooves which are adapted to respectively receive the strips 11, and one or the other of the strips 13. By mounting the board 12 slantingly the knife board may be mounted on either one of the strips 13 as stated. The board 15 is fastened to the strips 11 and 13 by means of pins 17 passing through the plates 16, and the strips.

It will be noted that the relative positions of the strips 11 and 13 are such that the cutter 1 1 is downwardly inclined in the direction of its outer end, by reason of which the stalks are cut with an upward sweep, whereby a more effective cutting action is had. By providing two strips 13, the angle of the knife is adjustable, as well as its height from the ground. The cutter can also be adjusted laterally with respect to the machine, to suit the width of the row, by sliding the board 15 back or forth on the strips 11 and 13. The strips are provided with a number of openings for the pins 17, in order that this adjustment may be made, and that the board may be held in adjusted position. From the upper edge of the board 12, boards 18 extend rearwardly over the wheels 6. These boards serve as a guard to hold' the butts of the corn-stalks in straight position, and they also keep the same off the wheels. The boards 18 are supported by standards 19 secured to and rising from the beams 7, and having at their upper ends downwardly inclined bends, to which the boards are secured. On one side of the platform 9 are mounted upstanding posts 21 and 22, connected by a longitudinal bar 23, and on the other side of the platform is mounted a post 24, from the upper end of which an inclined bar 25 extends to the front end of the platform. The posts 21 and 24.- are connected by a cross-bar 26. This structure forms a rack, the object of which is to hold the corn in a straight pile on the machine, and also to hold the same above the stubble I'OW and Weeds. The posts 21 and 24: also serve to support the board 10, said board being secured to the posts.

mounted on Wheels at one of its ends, transverse upstanding boards mounted on the frame, a knife-supporting frame mounted What is claimed is between said boards, and a guard projecting 1. In a stalk-cutter, a supporting frame, i from one of the boards over the Wheels of O plifislti upright? thereont,1 one of said i the[ sutpptorting ftrlange.I 1 t1 f rig s einp' inc inec W1 1 respec 0 1e 11 es imony 1a 0 aim 1e oregoin other upright, transverse guides on the i11- as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa clined upright, a single guide on the other I ture in the presence of two Witnesses. upri ht and a knife-supportin frame slidably mo unted at one end on the single guide, I THOMAS LOVE and engageable at the other end with either i Witnesses: of the guides of the inclined upright. 1 OSCAR K. MoHR, 2. In a stallccutter, a supporting frame P. L. HAYES. 

